Printing system

Abstract

A printing method and system include a printhead configured to eject a fixer fluid. A controller is operatively connected to the printhead and configured to control the printhead so as to apply the fixer fluid to a print area in a pattern to form cells having a predetermined area without the fixer fluid.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A printing method, comprising:
 applying, with a first printhead, a fixer fluid to a print area to form cells having solid borders of fixer fluid and a predetermined area without the fixer fluid, the predetermined area of each cell isolated from other cells by the solid borders of fixer fluid; and 
 applying, with a second printhead, ink to the print area, 
 wherein applying the fixer fluid includes applying the fixer fluid as a pretreatment fluid to contain ink within the predetermined area of a respective cell before applying the ink. 
 
     
     
       2. The printing method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 applying the fixer fluid in a periodic grid. 
 
     
     
       3. The printing method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 applying the fixer fluid In a non-periodic grid. 
 
     
     
       4. The printing method of  claim 3 , wherein
 the non-periodic grid is a Voronoi grid. 
 
     
     
       5. The printing method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cells have a diameter of about 0.5mm. 
 
     
     
       6. The printing method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 applying ink to the print area includes applying color ink. 
 
     
     
       7. The printing method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 applying the fixer fluid to form irregular cells. 
 
     
     
       8. The printing method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 applying the fixer fluid to form non-patterned cells. 
 
     
     
       9. The printing method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 applying the fixer fluid in non-repeating intervals. 
 
     
     
       10. A printing method, comprising:
 applying, with a first printhead, a fixer fluid to a print area to thrill cells having a predetermined area without the fixer fluid; and 
 applying, with a second printhead, ink to the print area, 
 wherein applying the fixer fluid includes applying the fixer fluid in a non-periodic grid, wherein the non-periodic grid is a Voronoi grid, and the fixer fluid to contain ink within the predetermined area of a respective cell. 
 
     
     
       11. A non-tninsitory machine readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed cause a processor to implement a method, comprising:
 applying, with a first printhead, a fixer fluid to a print area to form cells having solid borders of fixer fluid and a predetermined area without the fixer fluid, the predetermined area of each cell isolated from other cells by the solid borders of fixer fluid: and 
 applying, with a second printhead, ink to the print area after applying the fixer fluid, the fixer fluid containing ink within the predeterinined area of a respective cell. 
 
     
     
       12. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of  claim 11 , the method further comprising:
 applying the fixer fluid in a periodic grid. 
 
     
     
       13. The non-transitory machine: readable storage medium of  claim 11 , the method further comprising:
 applying the fixer fluid in a non-periodic grid. 
 
     
     
       14. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the non-periodic grid is a Voronoi grid. 
 
     
     
       15. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of  claim 11 , the method further comprising:
 applying the fixer fluid to form irregular cells. 
 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of  claim 11 , the method further comprising:
 applying the fixer fluid to form non-patterned cells. 
 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of  claim 11 , the method further comprising:
 applying the fixer fluid in non-repeat intervals.